Back At The Academy: Mirror Mirror
by remi-it-is-a-girl's-name
Summary: Originally chapter of 'Back At The Academy'. Kirk, Bones and Spock are all roommates at The Imperial Fleet Academy in the Mirrorverse. Cover image found on deviantART.
1. Chapter 1

**This was originally a mirrorverse chapter for my story 'Back At The Academy' In which Kirk, Spock, and Bones are all roommates at Starfleet Academy. (This may make more sense if you read a chapter or two of that first, thanks). But it needed a T rating and nothing else in 'Back At The Academy' merited a T rating, So I've expanded it and turned it into a long one-shot. Enjoy.**

**I do not own Star Trek.**

**Cover picture found on DeviantART, done by deviant Mkb-Diapason. **

* * *

James T. Kirk stormed into his room, he walked up next to the bed where one of his roommates, Leonard McCoy was sitting, reading.

"Where were you?" he demanded. "You were supposed to come find me right after you last class!"

"I forgot." said Leonard sullenly.

"Like hell you did, liar." said James. He grabbed Bones collar and pulled him up. "Where. Were. You?"

"The infirmary, I had an _accident_." Bones spat. "Or rather, the other person did." Jim flung his roommate down.

"I don't see any blood." said Jim, sitting down.

"I changed."

"Thought you liked blood."

"It was getting on my hands."

Spock entered the room.

"Spock," said Jim. "where've _you_ been?"

"I went to see Christine." said Spock.

"Ooooh." said Bones tauntingly. "Interesting."

"I was retrieving this. Nyota gave it to her to give to you." he held out a small device. Kirk literally shouted with glee. It was an agonizer. He took it from Spock.

"It work's right?"

"Yeah, because, you know. The entire student body and most of the faculty aren't nearly afraid of you enough." said Bones. Agonziers were not used on cadets, and therefore, hard to get.

"It works." said Spock. "I tested it."

"On who?"

"It was logical to seek out one of Finnegan's compatriots to use it on. It was remarkably powerful."

Jim shoved the device in his pocket. He lay down on his bed and smiled. He had just begun his second year at the Imperial Fleet Academy, and he knew he was already in charge. He'd known from his first day he'd rule this place, he'd known it ever since he met Bones, and Spock.

* * *

That first day, he'd met them both at the same time, in this room.

"I'm James Tiberius Kirk." He'd said, tossing his bag onto the floor.

"I am Spock." the Vulcan had said.

"You're Vulcan?"

"Yes."

"Freak."

"My mother is a human."

"I apologize. Half-Breed Freak." Kirk had glared at Spock, daring him to say something, he didn't.

"I'm Leonard, I'm a medical student." said McCoy.

"Leonard is a stupid name."

"So is Tiberius." Kirk had walked up to Leonard, smiled, and then shoved him down and pinned him to the floor. He pulled out his knife (a really nice one, a going-away gift from his brother) and placed it under the other boy's chin.

"Listen up, Sawbones. You may think you're clever, that you can get past me with your smart mouth, well tough luck, because you can't. I don't really give a shit what you do outside this room at this point, but when you're in here, I'm going be in charge."

"I'm not gonna be anyone's minion. I work for me."

"Funny, for someone going to the Imperial Academy." Bones still glared up defiantly.

"I was drafted. My parents sold me to the Empire to move up in the world, I'm lucky I got to choose my degree." Kirk pressed the knife to McCoy's neck to remind him it was there.

"Listen, draftee. I'm here of my own free will, which means I rank higher, at least for this year. Which means if you don't show up to class tomorrow, no one is going to look at me. I'd suggest thinking about being a minion as you put it."

"Fine, fine! Let me up." Jim, moved and offered McCoy a hand up, he didn't take it.

"Just because you're in control doesn't mean I have to touch you." Kirk chose to ignore that comment.

"Am I going to get any trouble from you?" asked Jim of Spock.

"I am here to study. If allying myself to someone will make it easier to concentrate on that, I will."

"It will. And you will."

* * *

After that day, He had never had much trouble from Bones or Spock again, soon he had others unofficially working for him, his own little crew. And he liked it.

* * *

"I'm leaving." said Bones, back in the present. "I have to get stuff for class. Anyone who doesn't get above a ninety-seven on the next test has to work in the morgue."

"Whatever. Leave." said Jim. McCoy did. Jim sighed and flopped onto his bed.

"Why does everyone hate me, Spock?" he asked.

"Because you frighten them. You have hurt many people, and indirectly killed at least one already." Spock said, without even looking at him.

"He was just a simpleton with bad grades. No one misses him. You hate me too."

"Hate is an emotion."

"You're half human."

"My emotions are still suppressed, and thus, do not matter." he handed Kirk and PADD calmly. "History assignment." Kirk set it down gently. Then lunged at Spock, pinning him to the wall.

"Tell me the truth, dammit!" he said. "I don't want to hear that emotional control crap."

"You threaten to hurt me regularily. I most likely could not stop you. Nor could I find anyone else to stop you for me. Logically I must follow you." said Spock evenly. Jim gripped his wrists harder.

"Lies. You're stronger than I am, you could stop me easily. Right now I'm only able to hold you because you let me." Kirk held both Spock's wrists with his left hand and pulled out the agonizer. "I could use this on you right now."

"You won't." said Spock.

"What makes you so sure?"

"You never hurt me. You may threaten, but I doubt you ever shall truly harm me. You have hurt Leonard, and the others you keep in relative closeness to yourself. But not me. You need one person who will not have a reason to extract revenge on you if possible. Someone you can trust."

Kirk put the agonizer away and pulled out his knife, gliding it slowly down Spock's cheek, careful not to cut him. "I could change that, after all, I can find another confidante. You're just a Vulcan after all."

"Which is why I need you. I could push back, but Half-Vulcan or fully Vulcan I have less worth in the eyes of the Empire than a human. If I stay by you, loyal and trusted, then in the end, it will not matter what my heritage is, because I hold the same confidence you do that you will be a starship captain." Kirk put his knife away and let go he walked away and stared out of the window.

"I think that mind of yours is more sly and cunning than I know."

"Prehapse.

"You know, you'll always be a Half-breed, Green-blooded Monster."

"Yes, I will."

* * *

Bones meticulously cleaned blood off his hands. It was the next day and the infirmary had been short staffed. So some of the medical students had been enlisted to help. It happened pretty often actually. Being a doctor just didn't have the same allure as being a real officer.

He wasn't the only person who had been sold by his parents to work in the Imperial Fleet, (it was very common really, poor families did it quite often) but he was one of the few who had been allowed to choose his profession therein. Mostly because when he'd been taken for a physical and he had just said 'if this hadn't happened, I would've been a doctor'.

Magic words. Instead of being shoved on some understaffed space station or ship until he died, he was given a place at the Academy, free of charge, because the Imperial Fleet never had enough doctors.

Leonard glanced around, bored. He hadn't had to do much, besides that last one. But he'd just needed to be sedated so he'd stop freaking out and then cleaned up. No real bad injuries yet, but it was early.

Bones kept wiping off his hands. Overall he liked blood, seeing it flowing from open cuts , the smell, even the taste of it. But he could not stand to have his hands dirty. Someone had made fun of that once. They were missing a few fingers now.

The doors to the infirmary slid open. Kirk entered, dragging in another person.

"I need a death certificate written up." he said. Bones walked over to the person. His shirt was baisically non-exsistent it was so torn, his back was covered in bruises and there was blood everywhere, so much he couldn't even tell where the wounds were. he kicked the body so he could see the face. Bones knew right away who it was.

Finnegan O'Hara. Kirk had finally decided to be done with him.

Bone checked for a pulse, covering his hand with his coat.

"Jim, he's still alive." he said.

"So?" he said.

"I'll get in trouble for killing him. The doctors might let people slide away all the time, but they can punish _me_ for it."

"He'll be dead in ten minutes or so, and you know regulations say that it's a waste of resources to try to fix up someone this far gone." replied James.

"Dammit Jim! If you're going to kill someone, just do it! Don't maim them and then drag them to the infirmary so-"

"Don't you even dare try to tell me what to do!" yelled Jim. And actual doctor entered.

"I've left someone's face half-stiched just to come see what the yelling is about, so it'd better be good." she said.

"Doctor Tranyar, He brought me someone alive and asked for a death certificate!" said Bones.

"I told you, he'll be dead soon enough anyway!" said Kirk. The doctor looked at O'hara.

"Put him on a bio-bed, clean him up, we'll see if he makes it."

"What if he doesn't?" asked McCoy.

"Then he was too weak to serve The Empire anyway." she left. Kirk grudgingly helped lift Finnegan onto a bio bed. Bones called for one the nurses to do the rest and then cleaned up Kirk.

"It's amazing how you've managed to keep your face pretty. You ought to be covered in scars by this point." said Bones.

"Just luck I guess." said Kirk. "I hope Finnegan dies. After he's gone I'll be the top student in the entire school." Leonard blotted anti-septic into one of Kirk's cuts.

"That hurts!" he yelled.

"Fine, I'll just let it get infected instead." McCoy. "Then, I can cut off your arm! And you're worthless with just one arm."

"Just finish." grumbled Kirk. McCoy bandaged James's injuries. James got down from the bio-bed where he had been sitting.

Someone walked into the room form another part of the infirmary. It was Hikaru Sulu. A long cut along the side of his face newly stiched.

"Nice face." sneered Kirk. "Look's like Chekov's handiwork." Sulu glared at him.

"Yeah. And it's your fault. I wouldn't be sharing a room with that little demon if you hadn't gotten me a room transfer."

"Don't be stupid. You're the only one that can ask to have your room changed."

"Everyone knows you had Uhura hack it." snapped Hikaru. Kirk pulled out his new agonizer and pressed it to Sulu's chest.

"I'll turn this on right now. Don't think I won't. Let me hear you say it." said Kirk. Sulu eyes widened at the thought of the pain agonizers caused.

"I never said anything." he said quickly. Kirk put the device away. Sulu left. Kirk sighed.

"I'm bored. I'm going to go find Janice. I suppose you'll have to be here for the rest of the day?"

"Yeah."

"Fine." Kirk left, striding out. Bones looked down at his blood-stain medical scrubs. He heard a scream from a paitient. Probably dying. Maybe he'd get to do the autopsy later, he liked autopsies.

_Back to work._

* * *

Kirk walked down the hall, followed by Spock and Bones, also by Chekov who he was talking to.

"All I want to know is if you gave Sulu that new scar he's sporting."

"Yes. He vas annoying me, and I vas bored."

"You don't need to explain yourself, I don't like him much either, I'd just prefer not to make him an enemy. Did he tell you what I pulled today?"

"Yes."

"Remember that next time you pull one of your knives on one of my people. Go away." Pavel walked off, spinning one the multiple throwing knives he had in his hand.

"Maybe that lecture will stick this time, Jim." said Bones.

"I hope so, I'm getting sick of dealing with him." said Jim. "Isn't this your class?"

"Yup. I'll see you this evening." He left.

"Spock, I think you should grow a beard,"

"A beard?"

"Just a goatee, it'd make you look older."

"Facial hair is too difficult to take care of."

"But, Spock." said Jim, in a nice voice, a voice Spock had learned to be wary of. "I think it would look good. I want you to."

"Then grow your own beard." Spock instantly regretted saying that. Jim was smiling, not his real smile, but a wide, smile that he only had when he was going to do something cruel.

"Christine owes me one." he said. "Isn't that funny? How the girl who uses her innocent looking face to get blackmail on everyone owes me one? I think I'll cash in. I don't know what I want from her, though. What could she give me? What could such a pretty, sweet, but inwardly messed up girl like that give me? Can you think of anything I cou-"

"- I'll grow a goatee." he said. _I should not care what happens to her, it isn't logical. And logic is what's kept me alive. Kept me from getting hurt._

"I'm glad. I think you should go to class now, go on, run off." Spock turned on his heels and walked away toward class. Kirk smiled to himself as he kept walking along. You could be rich, you could handsome, you could be or have or do anything but in the end there was only one thing that mattered. Power. And for now, here, at the Academy, he was powerful.

* * *

Spock sat in his room. His assignments had all been turned in, so he was safe from punishment for another day. There had been an assassination at Imperial Fleet command today. A captain up for promotion. That happened all the time though.

Bones swiftly entered the room. His shoulder was bleeding. Spock knew Leonard could stop the bleeding by appling pressure the wound, but Leonard would never purosefully get his hands dirty.

McCoy rifled around in Kirk's dresser until he found a dermal regnerator. He started to use it.

"I knew he had one somewhere." said Bones. "No one who fights that much can stay looking that nice. Did you know he had this."

"Yes, I thought you had acquired it for him."

"No, I don't steal equipment, misuse it or break into the infirmary to use it, sure but not steal it. I'll bet Rand got it for him. She's got the ear of some of the male nurses, if you know what I mean." He put the regenerator away. His shoulder healed.

Spock looked at his roommate. His enitre student uniform, and the white coat he'd been given to wear, was stained with blood. But like normal, his hands were perfectly clean, there wasn't even anything under his fingernails. Spock could not understand why someone with an obssesion with keeping his hands clean would choose to be a doctor, it was a considerably dirty profession.

"Stay off the furniture. You're filthy." said Spock. Bones flung off the white lab coat into a hamper. But did not go to change out of his blood covered uniform.

"They made me take care of a Vulcan cadet today. A senior who got hurt in training. He pulled through. Too bad, I wanted to do the autopsy." He took out his standard issue knife. "James carries two knives you know, this one and his personal one. Why don't you carry your knife, Spock?"

"I have no need of it." Spock replied.

Kirk walked in. "What are you doing, Bones?"

"I wasn't going to hurt him, not badly at least." said Bones.

"Leave Spock alone. Take your bad mood out on someone else."

"Sure," Bones shoved Spock toward Kirk, "here's your Vulcan lackey." Kirk handed Spock the agonizer.

"It's broken."

"Montgomery can repair it."

"It broke while I using it on him. I don't trust him to fix it right." Spock took the device and pocketed it.

Bones sat on th edge of Spock's bed, ignoring the Vulcan's earlier request.

"Get off my bed." said Spock.

"Make me." sneered Bones. Spock grabbed Leonard's hands and pulled him off the bed. Bones pulled away.

"Don't touch my hands! I don't know where yours have been."

"The end of my arms, Leonard."

"Was that supposed to be funny?" growled Bones.

"I do not understand the concept of humour." said Spock. Kirk stepped in.

"Stop fighting, you two! I'm in a bad mood already because Finnegan is gonna live! And I have homework to do. If I don't finish, guess what happens?" Kirk's roommates quieted down. They both knew what Kirk meant. Jim claimed to need silence to work. If his assignments were poorly done, or late, he'd blame Spock. Spock was half-vulcan and a therefore a second-class citizen so the teachers would accept that and punish Spock. Kirk would 'punish' Bones himself.

Bones turned away. He picked up his PADD. "Spock, look at this, it's kinda interesting." Spock took the PADD. Leonard quickly leaned acrosses and slashed across Spock's left palm. Green blood trickled from the long cut. Spock slapped Leonard across the face with his cut hand.

"How dare you!?" Leonard shouted. Green blood was one his cheek, someone else would've wiped it away, but not Leonard, it would mess up his hands.

"You harmed me. I am within my rights to harm you back." said Spock. Bones took his knife back out.

"I'll do a lot worse than cut your hand, hobgoblin."

"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!" yelled Kirk. he set down his homework and grabbed Leonard's wrist, then Spock's on the hand that was cut. he pressed their hands together. He pulled off his sash with his free hand and quickly tied it around their wrists and hands, so they could not pull apart.

"I warned you." said Kirk, sitting back down to his homework. Bones looked horrfied. He could feel the wet, warm, vulcan blood on his hand. His clean, smooth hand. He couldn't untie himself, he'd get blood on his other hand too.

Spock reached to untie the sash.

"Do that and I'll forget about not hurting you." said Kirk, not even looking up. Then he did look up. "Actually, let me make sure you won't." He grabbed another sash from the dresser and tied Spock's other hand to his desk.

"Please, do something else, please." asked Bones.

"I'll tie your other hands together too, and Spock won't be the one with the cut across his palm." Leonard shut up.

"James, holding hands has a different signifgance to Vulcans..." said Spock.

"I know. it wouldn't be bad for you if only Bones didn't like it." said Kirk, back to work.

"Please untie us, Jim!" pleaded Bones. "I can't stay like this, I can't!"

"Shut up or I'll leave you like that all night!" Bones fell silent. He could still feel Spock's blood on his now dirty hand. What could he do but wait? Similar thoughts ran through Spock's mind as well.

* * *

Spock could barely keep his relief down when Kirk finally untied them. It had been one hour, fifty-one minutes, and three seconds. In his lifetime, Spock had been cut (obviously), punched, whipped, even had an agonizer used on him briefly in a demonstration. This had been far worse than anything else.

Bones had been silent, they both had. But the whole time he had been biting his lip, scrunching his eyes shut, as if _he_ was the one in pain. He had a fetish, something ultimately surmountable, Spock had had to deal with something worse.

Leonard ran to the bathroom the second they were free. Water could be heard moments later. Kirk went and got his dermal regenerator and started to use it on Spock.

"Why are you wasting the power supply on me?" asked Spock.

"I don't want you bleeing on the carpet."

"I assume such. I doubted it was mercy."

"I just forced you and Bones to hold hands for almost two hours. I don't do mercy." Kirk finished with Spock's hand and put away the device. Spock had sat down, Kirk looked down on his companion.

"Tonight was a reminder of something. I own Bones. And I own you. I've owned you both since the day we met and I will own you until we graduate, maybe even longer. And as long as I own you I can do as I please. Don't forget it again."

"Yes, James. I won't." James smiled. He kneeled down, so he could looked Spock in the eye.

"You know, in the end, You're a freak, Bones is an OCD sociopath and I'm just cruel and maybe even wrong in the head myself. But I like it that way." He held Spock's chin. "On another note, you'll look nice in a couple of weeks once you have a beard." Jim let go and went to go get McCoy out of the bathroom.

* * *

It was very late at this point. Spock changed his shirt and climbed into bed. He didn't fall asleep until Bones stopped washing (Kirk came close to threatening him with a phaser.), got into bed, and turned out the lights. With the moonlight coming in throught he window, he could see Kirk sleeping peacefully next to him. With his smooth, scarless face and soft expression he looked innocent.

Almost.

Spock could not forget the cruelty and tryanny Kirk displayed almost constantly. In The Empire, it could eventually gain him a command on a starship. And Spock knew where he would be when Kirk was in command of a starship, at least if James continued to get his way. Spock would be beside him. Still his confidante, still controlled.

_I will not be under James forever, even if he 'owns' me now. Someday I will be free of him, I have to be. _ Spock thought before letting himself fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Bones

**Hi! this is just a little bonus chapter about how Mirror McCoy got drafted into the Imperial Fleet. Enjoy!**

* * *

Leonard walked down the street. He had finished work and was heading home. He wasn't sure why he bothered working, it paid practically nothing. And he wasn't sure why he bothered going home, he didn't have anything to look forward to there.

But, he needed any money he could get if he wanted to go to medical school, and he needed somewhere to live so, he kept going to work, and he kept coming home.`

"Leonard." said Ana, walking up beside him. "Where ya going?"

"Home."

"That's boring, come with us, we're going to the diner."

"I have entrance exams in a week, I need to be off drugs and alcohol until then."

"No one said you had to drink. You can just get food. It is a resturant"

"I can't afford it."

"I'll pay."

"You can't afford it."

"Fine, be that way. Go home, I'm just trying to be nice." she started to walk away. Leonard turned around and walked with her.

"Who else'll be there?"

"Jon and Marcus and Clara."

"I'll come."

"Okay!"

* * *

The diner was technically a restaurant, but it was more like a tavern. No one checked for I.D. so Leonard and his friends always wen there when the were looking to get drunk. Everyone did.

Calling them friends was a bit of a stretch though, more like they all tolerated each other and stayed together because that was safer.

"Did you guys hear? There's been people from the fleet going around, drafters." said Clara.

"I saw something about that." said Leonard. "There was something sitting out on the kitchen table this morning, a notice that their looking for volunteers. Like anyone would." The others looked at McCoy.

"What?" he asked.

"There was something just sitting out, in your house about it? They don't send them to houses they put out a public notice and hope you see it or hear about it. Your parents would only have a copy if they went and got one." said Jon.

"So?" said McCoy defensively.

"So, you're not nineteen yet. Still legally a minor." said Marcus. "You're gone, you're done. You're parents are gonna sell you out."

"What?" said Leonard.

"Leonard, think about it." said Ana. "You're parents are dirt poor-that's no secret, they can hardly afford to feed you."

"You're not exactly rich either." said Leonard hesitantly.

"If the Fleet doesn't get enough volunteers, they'll draft people. Also, you're still a minor and since you're a minor, your parents can sell you to the Empire, it's totally legal." she finished. "put two and two together, I'm right."

"My cousin Bridgett's a yeoman on a ship because of that." said Marcus. "Her parents are upper middle class now and her dad's got a high paying job, and they were living like your folks."

"I'm going to be a doctor." said Leonard. "I'll get the scholarship I'm vying for and go to school and be a doctor."

"Or end up a crewman on some godforsaken space station." said Clara. "Besides, you keep hands too clean to be a doctor anyway."

"You could run away." suggested Jon. "Happens all the time, you can stay at my house for awhile, until you figure out where to go."

"My parents are not going to draft me!" Leonard nearly shouted.

"Yeah, because they love you soooo much." said Clara sarcastically, "get a grip, McCoy. Either pack your bags and run, or pack your bags and put on a uniform." Leonard stood up and grabbed his bag.

"I'm going home, bye."

"Nice knowing you." Ana called after him as he headed out the door.

* * *

When he got to his house he pulled his sleeve over his hand before touching the doorknob, nothing was ever clean enough to touch around here. He went inside.

He heard voices coming from the kitchen. He walked toward them.

"Is this really a good idea?" he heard his mother say.

"He's never going to go to medical school, we both know that, he'll never make the money." he heard his father say, what was he doing home from work? "He'll end up like us."

"But the stories I've heard-"

"Ma'am, instead of asking how bad life will be for him if you do sign this, ask yourself if it'll be any better if you don't." he heard an unfamiliar voice say. Leonard entered the kitchen. His mother was signing something, something he could already see his father's signature on.

The other voice had belonged to a man wearing a yellow Imperial Fleet uniform, and there was an other man, wearing a red uniform.

_You're parents are dirt poor-that's no secret, they can hardly afford to feed you._

"What's going on?" he asked. All eyes on him. The Starfleet officers stood up.

"I'm Commander Jay. and this is Lieutenant Brider So you're Leonard? A little bit thinner than I pictured, but you'll do."

_If_ _the Fleet doesn't get enough volunteers, they'll draft people._

"What did you do?" Leonard asked his parents.

"Leonard-" his father began he was cut off.

"Have you ever considered joining the Imperial Fleet?" asked Commander Jay.

"No, never." he said, backing away, the man stepped closer.

"A shame, truly a shame."

_You're still a minor and since you're a minor, your parents can sell you to the Empire._

"Leave me alone." said Leonard, Lieutenant Brider spoke.

"You're parents will be well compensated for the services you will render to the Empire. I strongly suggest you comply, because you are required to come with us." he reached out to grab Leonard's hand.

"Don't touch me!"

"Leonard, just go with them, please." said his mother. He turned to run, and found his legs knocked out form underneath him by Brider. He was pulled to his feet. Before he could fight back again, he felt a needle pressed into his arm. He could easily guess what is was, Anesthetic. He was set down on the floor still alert, but consciousness slipping away.

"When you wake up, you will be at a Fleet base, where you will be given a physical, uniform, identification number, and an assignment. You're service is appreciated. Long live the Empire." were the last things he heard.


	3. Chapter 3

**Firstly: to everyone who reviewed telling me to continue: you guys are all amazing. Secondly, Enjoy the continuation that you helped bring about!**

* * *

"Leonard McCoy!" yelled the professor in advanced chemistry, rapping him on the head.

"What?" he said.

"So you weren't paying attention." said the professor. "Not that I'd expect any better from a conscript."

"I was."

"Prove it." the teacher walked up to their archaic whiteboard and erased everything he had written. This was much to Bones relief, since the professor's handwriting was uneven. It bothered him.

"Come up here." Bones did. A marker was pressed into his hand. He bit his lip. Someone had touched his hand. and now he was holding a marker that many, many people used everyday and had probably never been cleaned.

"Re-write everything I had on the board." instructed the Professor. Bones et about the task. Trying not to think about the uncountable number of germs on the object he was holding.

"Hurry up!" someone in the back of class yelled. Leonard whipped around to yell back at them, slamming both hands on the teacher's desk.

"Hey, You couldn'-" he stopped. A vial of god-knows-what that had been left sitting on the desk had been knocked over be Bones and was now all over his hands.

"Keep writing." said the professor.

"But I-" Bones held his hands away from everything. "-sir I need to go clean my hands off."

"It's not poisonous, you'll be fine. Keep writing, cadet."

"Sir-"

"You are about to be in a lot of trouble cadet!" Leonard relented and started writing again, but unable to take his mind off of the cold, slimy liquid coating his hands. He wrote out half of an equation, and then started throwing up.

_Damn._

* * *

Spock walked down a crowded hallway quietly. He was often jostled and even forcefully shoved out of the way. It was, of course, because of his Vulcan heritage.

He supposed life would be easier aboard a starship where he would outrank roughly a third of the crew merely by being an officer. There would also be conscripted Vulcans. Although, sometimes Vulcans were worse than humans.

Someone smacked him in the back of the head. He turned around. Finnegan O'Hara.

Kirk had left several scars on the older boy when he had attacked him, and on of his eyes had been removed. He wore an eye patch now.

"Listen, Half-breed." he said. "I think Jim-boy is sommat attached to you, right?"

"He uses my abilities when it serves he purposes, and I consider myself allied to him." said Spock.

"Shame, ye seemed like such a smart person." Spock doubled over as Finnegan punched him in the stomach. He could have not reacted, but he hadn't been prepared for the blow. Finnegan pulled out a knife. But he didn't get to use it as someone used the handle of their knife to knock him out.

Finnegan fell to the floor, revealing Christine Chapel. Spock stood up straight.

"You owe me one." she said and quietly walked away, swaying her hips. Spock went after her.

It was a well-known and accepted fact in the Fleet that if you were female the easiest way to advance in rank was to use your sexuality. Christine had said in coarser language she would never do that. She instead, had worked herself inot a system of black mailing people, having everyone owe her favors. It worked.

"Christine, I want to repay my debt now." _I can't afford to owe you anything later._

"Sucks to be you then, Vulcan. Currently, you have nothing I want."

"I have James' ear."

"Do you?" she replied.

"He mentioned that you owe him a favor."

"So? He'll never cash in. He hardly even notices me."

"I can make him forget it."

"How? Mind meld?"

"I will not perform a mind meld on him without his permission. I can however ask him to never, as you put it 'cash in'."

Christine stopped. "I suppose, that would be sufficient. Have a nice day, Spock!" she walked away again.

"Spock!" Yelled Kirk coming up behind him. "Where have you been? Why was Finnegan lying on the floor? Why were you talking to that bitch, _again?_ And have you heard about Bones?" Spock explained about Finnegan and Christine, leaving out that he and Christine had settled his debt. And no, he had not heard about Leonard.

"He got himself sick in class over some stupid spilled experiment. He skipped a class over it! Skipped a class! It's as if he's asking to be kicked out." Kirk fumed. "And if he get shipped off to die on some starship, I don't have anyone in the medical field. Except Christine, but she'll walked away as soon as I use my favor."

Spock walked to his and Kirk's last class, listening to Kirk scheme the whole way there. After class, Kirk grabbed Spock by the wrist and dragged him back to their room. Bones was waiting there.

"Good afternoon, gents." said Bones. James hit him.

"What the hell, Jim?!"

"Don't ever puke in class again." said Jim. "Now," he said, smiling. "I have something I want your help with."

"What?" Bones asked, rubbing his cheek with a sleeve-covered hand

"Chekov is becoming a problem. I want you to get him sick, very sick. No dying though, he has to survive."

"What is he even doing?"

"He is making his own little band of people. I don't like it. He's mine, I own him."

"Agonize him."

"Tried that."

"I can't get the meds to do what you want, then I'm done here. And I can't work as a crewman, that's filthy work. I'd kill myself first."

Kirk, interestingly enough, didn't get angry. Instead he turned to Spock.

"Spock. I like your beard."

"Thank you."

"I want you to perform a mind meld on Chekov, just this once, leave something scarring in his mind, something that will stave off rebellion for a while longer." He held up a hand. "And before you refuse. I decided something this morning. Kirk pulled something out of his pocket. His agonizer. "not hurting you is getting boring." Spock didn't believe him, but didn't want to take the risk.

"Jim, I've read about this stuff, he'll probably just make Chekov go insane." McCoy said.

"Leonard, I want to know who asked you, I tell you, no one! Go read a book, or gut some unlucky cadet in the infirmary or something. And if you happen to change your mind about this, feel free to tell me." McCoy sat down at his desk and opened a book, grumbling. Kirk turned back to Spock. "So?"

"I... I will do it. If you no longer hold Christine Chapel in your debt."

"What?"

"We agreed, my debt to her would be paid by paying hers for her." James stared blankly. And then smiled.

"Spock, I do believe you are learning to think properly. Not in your silly, 'logic is god' way. I want it done by tomorrow night. I have a paper to study." Kirk got his PADD and sat on his bed, working. Spock sat at his desk. He would not admit it, but his stomach clenched up when he though about what he had just agreed to do. A message appeared on his computer screen, from Leonard.

_Jim told you just this once. He told me that when he had me steal pain medicine. Then I helped him get pain medication again, someone committed suicide that night. Medicine overdose. And it doesn't stop. I get him parts to repair his dermal regenerator. Do a poor job cleaning someone's wound so it'll get infected. Anything I have access to, he makes me use to his advantage._

Spock replied. _Why are you telling me these facts? I already know them._

_Spock, I mean there is no 'just this once'. You do this, and you'll do it again._

_I cannot afford not to. _

_Why not? _ Leonard typed back.

_He will not hurt me no matter what he says. But Christine will. And this is my way out of her debt. And what's more, James may not physically harm me, he will find some other way to, or some indirect way to cause me physical harm. I have no options. _

Nothing for a few minutes, then,

_Then, I'm sorry._

* * *

Pavel Chekov heard the door buzz, he wasn't expecting anyone. And Sulu wasn't here. He answered it.

"Vhat are you doing here, Spock?" he asked, as that was who was standing there. Spock stepped in.

"Are you forming a group around yourself?" he demanded.

"So vhat if I am?"

"If you are , I urge you to reconsider, James is starting to wonder about your loyalty." Pavel laughed.

"I am done being ruled owver by him. So can run back to your master, and tell him I'm not his slave anymore." Spock grabbed the young Russian by the wrists and forced him to sit on the edge of one of the room's beds.

Chekov tried to kick him, but Spock kneeled on his feet. Spock now held both of Chekov's wrist in one hand, an easy thing to do, the boy had small wrists.

Chekov was screaming at him in a mix of Russian and English. Spock ignored both. he rested his fingertips on the left side of Chekov's face.

"My mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts." chanted Spock. Chekov fell silent.

"My mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts." Spock repeated. Watching Pavel's eyes slowly grow more and more terrified, a fear not of the images and ideas Spock was trying to filter into his head, but just of what Spock was doing, after all, most humans children learned about how Vulcan's twisted minds at a young age. And how they destroyed people by doing it. Lies, at least normally.

Pavel started thrashing around. Spock kept going.

_Are minds are one. _And they were.

* * *

**I think this chapter was a little less dark than the others, or is that just me?**

******Feedback (good or bad) and ideas are always welcome! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry if anyone had difficulties posting reviews on the third chapter. Fanfiction only allows one review per chapter and since I deleted the original chapter three and then replaced it, you may have already had a review on 'chapter three'. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

McCoy pulled on his new gloves. Jim had been growing increasingly upset with Bones' need to keep his hands clean. So, he had found a solution. A pair of black leather gloves.

"Hurry up!" Jim snapped irately. He grabbed McCoy's covered hand and dragged him out the door.

"Why are we rushing? We have plenty of time and our first period teacher is a pushover. The worst he'll do to us is extra assignments and you can just have Spock or Montgomery or some other smart person do them for you." Jim stopped and stared at Bones.

"Are you saying I'm stupid?" there was a cruel smile on his face that Leonard knew too well. It meant 'You're walking a very fine line and you have one last chance to save yourself.'

"No, I'm just saying Spock could do whatever assignment your given faster. It's a Vulcan thing." He was backing up now, because Kirk kept walking close to him. It was a bad choice because now he was against a wall. He stood up straight though, he wasn't going to cower for Jim.

"The why did you mention Scotty?"

"Because Scotty has more book smarts than you. That's the honest truth." Bones figured he was about to get punched in the face. But then someone else spoke.

"Of course, what's book learning without any natural smarts to help it? That's what you have, Kirk." Kirk turned around and walked across the hallway.

"Good morning, Marlena." He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her. Bones rolled his eyes. Marlena was the golden standard for a female Starfleet officer. Not bothering working to get a promotion the correct way (Either kill your higher-up or earn it.) just seducing someone more powerful than she was.

"Did you do what I asked you to?" asked Kirk.

"When haven't I?" She handed an agonizer to Kirk. "I made sure they knew who it was from."

"You are just too wonderful." he said. the warning bell rang. "I'll see you tonight." Marlena nodded and sauntered off.

"I liked Janice better." said Leonard, falling into step with Kirk.

"No one asked you. Besides, it's her own fault she got kicked out." Kirk turned into their classroom. "Are you going to stand there looking like a moron, or are you going to come in?" Bones came in a took a seat.

He looked down at his gloved hands. He had just realized he hadn't even thought about them since they left the room.

That meant they worked. He smiled.

* * *

Spock glanced up from his PADD. He was sitting in the library. Chekov was sitting nearby, twirling his knife. And staring at Spock, he looked away when Spock looked at him.

It had been two weeks since what had happened with the mind meld. Spock had used all of his meditation time for a week to dispel the stray images that had entered his head form Pavel's mind. And to remove what he himself had fabricated to remind the young Russian to stay in line.

Kirk had been very pleased with the result. He had told Spock he was glad. And had been genuinely nice to him for the rest of the day. It disturbed Spock how easy it had been to do. And how much it had done to please Kirk.

"Hey, Vulcan." Spock looked up. Chekov had left, but now Sulu was standing next to Spock.

"Yes?"

"What'd you do to Pavel? He hasn't tried to kill me in over a week." said Sulu, jumping up and sitting on the table in front of Spock.

"Why are you certain that his change in attitude was my doing?" countered Spock.

"Scotty said Uhura said Marlena said Kirk said you did some Vulcan mind trick on him so he'd stop pushing the envelope."

"Is there an issue with is?"

"I don't like it." said Hikaru. "Sure, it was a pain in the ass to have to keep the little demon from literally stabbing me in the back. But at least it was interesting. Now he's just boring. So, fix it."

"I cannot." said Spock.

"Or will not." Sulu sighed. "It's a shame, honestly. You're smart, you're strong. Damn, you're a Vulcan who had the guts to apply to attend the Academy! But you still let that dumbass Kirk push you around."

"I am a Vulcan. And whether I am an academy student or not, that puts me at higher risk. James will go far in the Imperial Fleet, it is wise to have such an ally." Sulu laughed.

"He's not your 'ally' he's your master. And your just his tool. We all are." Hikaru got off the table. "You're beard looks nice. Of course, I know you didn't choose to grow it, Kirk chose that for you." he left.

Spock went back to his room. He was unsure of what Sulu had been trying to accomplish. He hadn't really wanted Spock to undo the damage he had done to Chekov's mind. It was something else.

After almost two hours of sitting and thinking, he went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. There was a razor left sitting on the sink, probably Kirk's. Leonard was meticulous about putting everything away. He picked it up.

"Spock!" Jim yelled. "Are you here?"

"Yes, James?" Spock went back into the room.

"What were you doing?"

"Shaving."

"I like your beard, keep it."

"It is an unreasonable amount of work."

"I don't care, keep it the beard." he grabbed Spock's sleeve and pulled him down to sit beside him. "McCoy had gloves today, the ones I got him. I'm not sure it was a good idea. He's so strong now."

"Oh, really?" Kirk looked up. McCoy was leaning in the doorway. "Strong. I like that. Don't worry, I'm not gonna leave you. Just because I got one problem under control doesn't change the ruling fact of my life: I am a conscript. Literally a slave to the Empire."

"So?" said Kirk.

"You aren't. I help you, you keep me safe. Besides." Bones sat on Kirk's other side. "all three of us have more important things to think about than how much we hate each other?"

"What are you referring to, Leonard?" asked Spock.

"Today, our own dear Pavel Chekov attempted to commit suicide. He was saved by his roommate, Hikaru Sulu."

"Damn." said Kirk. "What did you do to him, Spock?"

"Only what you requested." replied Spock. "However, a forced mind meld is an unstable thing. It is possible I caused him to become mentally unbalanced."

"Mentally unbalanced isn't a problem, I don't think he was all there before this. But how bad could he get? Is he gonna try to kill himself again and again until he finally does?" asked James.

"Why do you care?" asked Bones.

"Because he is a lying, cunning, charismatic, little bastard who is good at knife throwing. I like that. He's like me. And the Fleet needs more like me. I just want to be able to control it."

"I can repair the damage." said Spock. "It will require another mind meld-one that Chekov agrees to."

"Go. Do it." said James. "But when it's over, tell him I was wrong to make you do it in the first place and that I am sorry. And tell him I did it because I thought it would keep him from going down a bad path. Exactly those words Spock."

"Why?"

"shut up, Bones!" snapped Jim. "Hurry up, Spock." and Spock left.

* * *

"No! no, no, no NYET!" yelled Chekov. "Don't even dare touch me, I will kill you!"

"Would you prefer to remain suicidal and insane?" asked Spock. "The logical thing to do is to allow me to repair the damage done." Chekov crossed his arms.

"No. They don't like you."

"They?"

"The people _you _put in my head. They don't want you near me."

"I did not put voices in your head." said Spock. "I put an idea in your head, an idea that disobeying James is dangerous."

"That's what they tell me."

"Did they tell you to kill yourself?"

"Yes, now they're telling me to kill someone else instead. Not you, because you belong to Kirk."

"James told me to get rid of the voices." said Spock. "Not allowing me to is disobeying him." Chekov furrowing his brow and then sighing.

"Fine." Spock rested his hands on Chekov's temples once again.

* * *

"You're back." said Leonard when Spock re-entered the room.

"Quite obviously, Leonard." he turned to Kirk, "Chekov will be fine. I also told him what you told me to tell him. His response was interesting."

"Oh?" said Kirk.

"He said he understood your reasons. And that he would not try to get away from you any time soon."

"Really?" said McCoy. "If that were me, I would've told you to tell Jim to go to Hell."

Instantly Jim was inches from his face. His left leg planted on Bone's knees, and his agonizer dangling from his fingertips.

"You talk to much." he said. "And the reason Pavel didn't respond the way you would've is because he is a very different person, and I was sure that with those words, the way Spock said it, it would work the way I wanted it to."

"Get off of me." said Bones. Jim did, grabbing a glove on the way.

"Give that back!"

"In the morning." he said. "When you remember how to behave right. Like Spock does. Spock," he smiled at the Vulcan. "When I'm a captain, you can be my first officer, how'd you like that?" First officer was a prime position to have, powerful, but much safer than the captain.

"There is some provision to that offer. I am sure."

"No much, just keep doing what you do know, and what Chekov is doing now, on his own." Kirk went into the bathroom, the shower could soon be heard.

"You're a lying bastard." said Leonard.

"Excuse me?"

"You're a lying bastard, Vulcan." repeated Leonard. "There is no way this thing with Chekov could've been patched up so easily."

"Fascinating." said Spock. "Under different circumstances I would call you paranoid, but in this case you are correct."

"Ha!"

"Partially. Chekov had started to display a sign of dementia: he claimed there were voices in his head. I did not get rid of them. I merely silenced them. I do not know for how long though."

"So he's sane for now?"

"That is correct."

"Jim is gonna is ticked off."

"James may never find out." Bones grinned.

"You're starting to think for yourself Spock, and that'll end in on of two ways. Either you escape Jim and lead your own life, or he'll tear you apart, literally. Both are good for me."

Spock didn't reply to this. Bones looked at his hands, one gloved, one not, and the unevenness of it was unnerving him. These thoughts he had created of Spock's mutilated body kept him calm for now, but that wouldn't last forever.

_And we thought Pavel was the one with a problem._

* * *

**Sorry I took so long with this chapter, I've been so unmotivated to write lately. The next chapter will probably be kind of bloody.**


	5. Chapter 5

**So I promised a bloody chapter...That's not what happened though. Oh well! Enjoy anyway.**

* * *

Bones looked down at the dead body laying on the table before him. It was a young captain-only thirty-who had recently won two planets for the Empire, Trill and Nausica.

But that didn't matter now, because the man was dead. Bones assignment was to determine the cause of death.

"Well?" said the instructor impatiently. "I want to get this body out of the infirmary."

"Deep cuts into the ribcage and this cut on the head is over a good-sized bruise." noted McCoy. "Minor cuts and bruises on the arms and chest that are older than the deeper wounds, he didn't die peacefully."

"is that your medical opinion, cadet?" said the instructor sarcastically.

McCoy turned, clasping his gloved hands together. "Outward appearances suggest he was gagged- there are sores on either side of his mouth-and probably dragged somewhere, where he was first roughed up a bit, then he probably managed to get the gag off and started yelling, so his attacker hit him on the head with the handle of the knife and then stabbed him in the chest. His left lung is pierced, so it looks like he died of blood loss, or asphyxiation." The instructor nodded.

"Correct, while this was not a very difficult case to prove the cause of death-"

"-Of course it wasn't either of those." interrupted Bones. "he was poisoned and the wounds made either just as he was dying, or shortly thereafter."

"And you were doing so well, conscript." sighed the teacher, "then you had to show off."

"No, I'm right. Look." he lifted up the dead man's hands. Underneath his fingernails were turning black. "The veins on the inside of his lips are the same. That's characteristic of Yantel. Which is illegal in the Empire. It causes braindeath before stopping the heart."

The instructor looked closer at the body. "You're going to need to leave, cadet."

"What? Why?"

"Because this just became more important than a simple murder that can be used to educate students." Bones nodded and left.

* * *

"So why are you telling us this?" asked Jim. Writing on a PADD. Bones had just finished relaying to Spock and Jim what had happened that morning in the infirmary.

"Because I know where the Yantel came from." Spock raised his eyebrow.

"If you knew how a person acquired Yantel, you should have reported it."

"No! No, that'd be bad." said Bones. "Because then they'd make me say how I got it. And then I'd be dead."

"You're selling it, aren't you?" said Kirk, with a grin. "I didn't think you had it in you, Bones."

"No! I'm not a dealer. But I know who is." said Bones. "And they're good. " he counted off on his fingers. "Yantel, cocaine, Vulcan spices, Andeeg-"

"Andeeg is illegal?" said Jim. "Since when?"

"It is a fairly recent law." said Spock. "Two months ago."

"I wonder if my brother knows that. He smokes way too much of the stuff."

"Leonard, you still have not said who is selling these drugs." said Spock.

"If I tell you, are you gonna tell some admiral?" said McCoy.

"It will depend."

"So the law isn't constant." said Kirk. "Glad to see you've learned something."

"Chapel." said Bones. "Chapel and some Lieutenant. I think his name's Garrel."

"What do you think would happen if someone turned them in?" asked Jim.

"They'd either get a shift in the agony booth, or a medal." said McCoy. "Why?"

"I've been looking to gain some standing with our higher ups. And that would be perfect. Gain some status, get rid of someone I can't control. " Kirk stood up. "Spock? Wanna come with? a Half-Breed Freak like you could use a popularity boost."

"Hold on, you can't turn Christine in." said Bones, stadning in the way of the door. "She'll screw you over."

"Do you honestly think she has more power than I do?"

"Not more, different."

"I agree with Leonard on this point." said Spock, "You should let this be."

"You're saying that because your head over heels for her. Although why you want a bitch like that, I have no clue." said Kirk, calmly. "Both of you are welcome to join me, or I'll go by myself." He left the room.

"She's gonna kill me, hell, I'm dead." said Bones, pacing the room his hands started twitching nervously.

"Leonard, are you ill?" asked Spock gesturing to Bone's hands. McCoy looked at them. "Damn it! I was doing so well!" He hit the closest desk to him (which happened to be Jim's.) he bit his lip. "Spock, do me a favor: clear out."

"Excuse me?"

"Leave, Spock! I mean leave!"

"To achieve what end?" Leonard looked closer at his roommate. "Leonard, you are ill. You need to go to the infirmary." He grabbed McCoy's arm gently.

_SMACK!_ Leonard slapped him across the face. "Keep your dirty Vulcan hands off of me, Freak!" he tapped his fingers nervously on the edge of the desk. "Next time, it won't be my hand, it'll be a knife. Or better yet, Jim's agonizer"

"The reason you know Christine is involved with this, is because she's selling you narcotics." Spock said, not as a question but a statement. "I would assume from the sudden onset of withdrawal symptoms brought on by stress caused by worry, it's nisal three."

"Would you just shut up! Your so loud." McCoy rummaged around in a drawer of his desk and pulled out a bottle of pills, he took one and tucked the others away he sighed and turned to face Spock, "Yeah it's nisal three ,I took them the first time right after I got here, I already had problems," he flexed his gloved fingers, ", and the whole 'your parents just sold you into slavery' thing made me all kinds of OCD and paranoid, so it was Denobulan drugs, or suicide. Now, I would've picked suicide over addiction."

"Why didn't you then?" asked Spock. Leonard shrugged.

"Because I thought it would be to messy and to uneven to use a knife, and I didn't want some dirty rope around my neck. Whereas a nice little, symmetrical, smooth pill taken on a regular basis made so much more sense." he chuckled, "I've been trying to quit, but until I do, I need Chapel." Spock looked at the floor.

"I know a way you could quit right now."

"Seriously? Tell me!"

"...A mind meld."

"Nevermind, I'll struggle through."

"You'll be expelled from the academy, and I have heard the bases on Andoria have been understaffed as of late."

Bones stepped closer. "And this won't hurt you?"

"No."

"Fine then, what do I have to do?"

"Just, stand still."

* * *

Bones walked around the corner into another hallway. He hadn't had any problems all day. Spock had gotten rid of the rest of the nisal three, and ended his addiction, but not solved his problems. He was still OCD, but, he could deal with it now.

"Hey you! Bastard with the gloves!" Christine stormed toward McCoy.

"Good Morning. Shouldn't you be in prison with Garrel or something?"

"Yes. But you forgot something when you told your master about me."

"Jim isn't my 'master'."

"Kirk may be a pain in the ass, but that doesn't mean he doesn't 'own' you. What you forgot is I have favors with more people than just cadets." she glared. "the only problem is, I had to call them in to keep myself out of prison and in the academy, _all_ of them. I currently have absolutely no one in debt to me."

"So? work your way back up."

"Too late! I got to where I was because when I started, no one realized it was blackmail, now, everyone knows!"

"Then do what all the other girls do." said McCoy, smirking.

"Don't make fun of me! This is your fault!" she pulled her knife out of her belt. McCoy grabbed her arm before she could do anything and bent it backwards, forcing her down.

"What were you going to do? Cut my face? My hands? Well, let me tell you something, I don't need you, no one needs you, you're just another Imperial Fleet woman, and the most you'll ever be is some CMO's pet nurse." he let go. "Maybe I'll let you be mine, or you can be Spock's woman instead."

"I'd kill myself first." she hissed. She stood up and walked away.

"Well done," Kirk slowly clapped, walking around the corner.

"You were watching me?"

"I was catching up with you, but then I saw this happening, and I wanted to watch. She got one thing right though."

"That your a pain in the ass?" he mumbled. Kirk grabbed him by his collar and shoved him against the wall. Entirely calm and all smiles.

_He'd be less frightening if he just got raging made once in a while. _Thought Bones.

"I am your master, and I do own you. And just because your finally off nisal three-yes, I now about that-and you have your stupid gloves, doesn't change that. Ever."

"Yes, Jim, I know." Kirk let go.

"Good! Go to class, conscript. I'll see you later. " He strode away.


	6. Chapter 6: Kirk

**Remember that chapter about McCoy before the academy? Well, here's Kirk's. Enjoy!**

* * *

James T. Kirk looked at his knuckles. Covered in blood, so annoying. Not as annoying as the idiot who's nose-blood was on them though.

"Damn, you think people would learn no to bug me." he said to Elaina, his sort of girlfriend. The way it stood between them was they could always go back to each other. But I they did anything with anyone else-hooked up with anyone else- the other had no right to care.

"Well, son of a captain, people notice." Elaina finished her drink. " 'Nuther round?"

"You've had three, one more and your drunk, and you're a bitch when your drunk."

"So?" Kirk rolled his eyes.

"I'm going home."

"Say hi to your brother for me, he's hot."

"Maybe your already drunk." he left.

James had lived in the small town of Riverside Iowa his entire life. His father traveled around the galaxy, as captain of the starship, _The Bloodhound._

Jim was eighteen, he fought too much, was too smart for his own good, and had dreams far bigger than the hick-town he lived in. Dreams of commanding a starship, preferably something large and important.

And since he would be leaving to attend The Imperial Fleet Academy soon, those dreams had a chance.

He reached his home. His dog came running up, barking wildly.

"Down, Sato! Sit! Down!" the dog obeyed. Kirk continued his walked up the drive, he noticed his younger brother leaning against the outside of the old farmhouse, smoking.

"Hey, big brother." said Christopher Kirk, lazily. "How's your girl? Who's your girl too."

"Elaina. And she's fine. Put that out, mom gets ticked off when she sees you smoking."

"She's not home. And besides, andeeg is legal."

"Vulcan spices aren't, and I know you put them in there, I can smell them." Chris shrugged.

"They clear my head."

"You wouldn't need to clear your head if you weren't stoned all the time!" snapped Jim. "You know what? Let's not fight, alright? I have something to tell you. I was going to tell when mom was around too, but I'll let her know later."

"What?"

"I got into the Academy."

"Seriously! That's great! Oh my god, Jim! Dad is gonna be so proud! Shit, you just made my life a whole lot harder, now I've gotta compare to a Starfleet officer!"

"I'm not an officer yet." replied the older Kirk child.

"You will be."

"If I live."

"Oh yeah, Dad's stories about how that place runs make it out to be worse than the fleet is."

"Come on, let's go inside, I should start packing, I'll be leaving soon."

* * *

Winona Kirk had been shocked to hear about her son's entrance into the academy, and as Chris had predicted, George Kirk was quite proud.

It was three days now until James would leave. He was sitting by the river thinking.

_I've got to get control over someone once I'm there, roommate, classmate, doesn't matter who, I just have to control someone, then use them to gain more control, my chances will be better then._

His communicator buzzed.

"What?"

_"Jim, Oh, Jim, thank god!"_

"Elaina?"

_"I, oh damn I can't even think straight! Where are you?"_

"Where the river runs through my parent's property. What's wrong?"

_"You'll see her soon then."_

"Who?"

_"Marcus." _Kirk froze. Carol was a good friend of his. One of the kinder people in the world, they contrasted each other well. She had been so thoughtful, she never did anything without good reason. she was the reason he didn't solve everything with his fists. They had been a couple for a time, but, well, some things just didn't work.

_"Jim, I saw her, but I couldn't catch her, I'm sorry, Jim, I'm so sorry." _He saw it then, and knew what she meant by 'couldn't catch'.

Carol Marcus floating face-up in the river. Jim jumped in and dragged the body to shore.

Her eyes were mercifully closed. Her arm was torn open by what looked like a stray phaser blast. But it wasn't a phaser that had killed her. It was a standard issue Imperial Fleet knife stuck in his chest. Kirk pulled it out and looked at it. initials had been carved into the handle.

N.K.P.

"I'll get him, or her, Carol. You wouldn't be mad at me for it, would you? No, you wouldn't." James lifted up the lifeless body and carried it away. He would take Carol to the house, and call his family, they could decide what should happen.

But James already knew what he was doing.

* * *

Jim rapped on the door of a house. He would be leaving tomorrow, so this had better be the right person.

A thin, very pale woman answered the door.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Um, this is going to sound very odd," Kirk said, flashing one of his best smiles, and getting one back. "Are your initials, N.K.P?"

"...Yes, Natalie Kara Preston."

"I'm James Tiberius Kirk."

"Any relation to George Kirk?"

"Any relation to Chariman Preston?"

"You first."

"Captain Kirk is my father."

"Chairman Preston my uncle." Kirk smiled again. "May I come in for a moment, I need to speak with you." she gave him a confused look but let him in to the apartment. He noticed several phasers sitting on the coffee table.

"Are you the Imperial Fleet?" he asked.

"I was, briefly. I was discharged for medical reasons." she said. Kirk pulled a photo out of his pocket.

"Do you know this girl?" it was a picture of Carol. recognition flashed in Natalie's eyes.

"No, who is she?"

"Lies!" Kirk hit the woman and she went sprawling. "You do know her. You killed her!" Natalie stumbled to her feet.

"Do you really think you're going to get away with harming me?"

"Only if they find the body." hissed Kirk. "Do you even know what her name was? Who was she even to you?" He picked up one of the phasers.

"They don't work, I repair them." she said. "That's what I do, I repair phase pistols, not kill people!"

"So that why there were phaser wounds, you shot her with a damaged pistol and finished her with a knife when it broke down." he said.

"I can't confirm that." He hit her again, she ducked, but it didn't matter, he shoved her over and was soon wrestling with her on the floor. It was brief struggle, he overpowered her easily. Kirk pulled out the knife he had found stuck in Carol Marcus' chest.

"Is this yours?" he asked. Silence. He slapped her across the face. "Tell me!"

"Yes. And I killed some girl with it. I was pissed. Pissed with being sick all the time, pissed with having to give up on my career, and pissed my uncle wouldn't help me get it back." she said it all calmly. " I ran into her. and she was just, so, vulnerable. She saw I was upset and asked what was wrong. I told her I was lost, and she offered to help me find my way. She didn't have a weapon on her! She was asking for trouble, really."

Kirk was ready to scream. He didn't though. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of having any sort of power over him.

"Miss Preston, I am very sorry for you."

"...Why?"

"Idiots seem to have pretty happy and content lives. You don't give to live." He stabbed her in the throat. Afterwards, he tried every pistol on the table, until he found one that worked, he disintegrated the corpse and left the apartment.

He went home, he had things to finish before tomorrow.


End file.
